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The Most Popular Pieces of 2019 | A Literate Ape Roundup
The Top Ten most read pieces of 2019!
Problematic Movies of the '80s | "Amazon Women on the Moon" (1987)
To be frank, I don’t remember much about this movie with the exception that I remember thinking it was hysterical. I vaguely recall some racial humor and David Allen Grier as a black guy who sings like a white guy. I’m pretty sure there’s gratuitous boobs and, going into this one, I’d bet a hefty sum that it has a laundry list of problematic elements.
Problematic Movies of the 80s | Stripes (1981)
Oh man. Stripes is a relative stew of problematic elements, simmering without malice but just as tasty when the ingredients are sussed out.
Problematic Movies of the 80s | Trading Places (1983)
If you can get past Justin Trudeau in blackface, then you can probably get over Dan Akroyd in blackface but, if not, that’s definitely a jarring moment in the endgame of Winthorpe and Billy Ray executing the switcheroo on the Duke brothers in the last thirty minutes.
Problematic Movies of the ‘80s | National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)
I vaguely remember Clark being both a family man and a guy who’d fuck a supermodel in an instant, making him basically a middle-aged dude but still. Kind of a creep, right?
Problematic Movies of the '80s | Revenge of the Nerds (1984)
Oh, Nelly — there are almost a catalogue list of jokes, images, and plot points of things 2019 would consider problematic.
Problematic Movies of the '80s | Earth Girls Are Easy (1988)
I find myself bemused and slightly embarrassed that in my years of most physically viable my choices were so directly motivated by my cock.
Problematic Movies of the '80s | Weird Science (1985)
In 1985, there was a horny, stupid ideal of the perfect woman and the movie Weird Science exemplified it. Given today’s sex robots and unlimited free porn, I’d say we haven’t gone too far away from the concept…
Problematic Movies of the ’80s | Porky’s (1981)
Honestly, in getting ready for this one, I procrastinated for a few days. I didn’t really want to watch Porky’s again. The poster image is of a dude peeping at a woman in a shower, for chrissakes! After Bachelor Party, I felt like watching another would feel like punishment but this is the trap I’ve set for myself, so on a Friday afternoon, I sat down and hit play.
Problematic Movies of the '80s | Bachelor Party (1984)
Is it possible that I was indelibly stupid as a teenager? It must be possible (indeed, probable) if I found anything remotely funny about this film. I mean, in rewatching it, I had to pause the movie five times just to get up and remind myself to keep watching.
Problematic Movies of the '80s | The Three Amigos (1986)
Going in for the first viewing since I was a teenager, I had my 2018 goggles steaming up. I recall a lot of racial stereotypes and it felt like I was going to be bombarded with unapologetic cultural appropriation — I mean, three white guys wearing sombreros is kind of a red flag, right?
Problematic Movies of the '80s | Blame it on Rio (1984)
The whole thing is played with wink-wink adolescence of a slightly greasy, older uncle complimenting his niece on her pantyline.
Problematic Movies of the 80s | Back to School (1986)
With outrageous and terrible one-liners, cameos by Sam Kinison, Severn Darden, Danny Elfman and Kurt Vonnegut, Sally Kellerman as a love interest, Burt Young as Melon’s tough guy valet, Back to School is an embarrassment of riches in a dumb but heartfelt movie.
Problematic Movies of the 80s | Risky Business (1983)
I’m not entirely sure why I voted for Ronald Reagan in 1984 but I’m starting to suspect that it may have had something to do with my love of movies featuring rich, white boys and their capitalistic coming of age stories.
Problematic Movies of the 80s | Class (1983)
Revisiting those films from my youth (which also happen to be the films of Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh’s youth) to see if they pass the burn test.
Problematic Movies of the 80s | Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
I was 16 years old when this hit the theaters. What I remember of this movie was that I liked it, thought it was funny and mostly loved the character of Brad (played by a young Judge Reinhold.) The Spicoli character, played with stoner perfection by Sean Penn loomed large, and the fact that I got to see Phoebe Cates’ tits was a big plus. I saw it in the theater only once but it left a good impression upon my teenage brain. It felt authentic in many ways to my own high school experience as it was unfolding.
Upon rewatching it to see how potentially problematic the thing was, here are some takeaways…